“From a football perspective we aren’t where we want to be, but from a personal perspective I’ve got a good feel for the people and I had to understand the identity of the club before I could make recommendations.

“David is an experienced manager and he is a character. I think he is in the top four most experienced managers in the Premier League in terms of games managed.

“He is a builder. He understands the need to win, first and foremost.

“But in parallel, he understands that the job he has come here to do – and the job I have come here to do – is to build, to rebuild really.”